If you've ever been to Manhattan, then I'm certain you've had the pleasure of smelling, if not tasting, the wonderfully aromatic food prepared and served by Halal food cart "street meat" vendors. You also probably agree that the smell should be bottled and sold as an air freshener. The food prepared on those carts is the stuff of legends. The meat is rich, spicy, savory and multi-dimensional. The rice is aromatic, fluffy and a perfect vessel for the best part: the magical effin' white sauce. That white stuff should be slathered on everything. Unfortunately, when I had the pleasure of partaking in this dish, I was not vegan. This was many moons ago, and yet the smells of the spices still haunt me to this day. Well, the other day, while I was in the depths of my twilight sleep, I arose with the idea that maybe I should try to re-create those essences and flavors in an entirely new, vegan way. And for me, the only thing that was spongy enough to soak up all of those amazing spices is tofu. So, I set out to make a tofu version of the halal "street meat" chicken and rice dish. This recipe is a combination of several other spice recipes I found online, mixed up, switched around and veganized to the delicious recipe you find below.

Press and drain the tofu. Cut in half the height of the tofu, then proceed to cut into small cubes from there. Allow to sit on a paper towel while you prepare the mix. Combine all the spices, garlic, lemon juice, yogurt and olive oil. Generously salt and pepper. Add the tofu and onions, mix, and let it marinate overnight. To cook: Preheat the oven to 350. Line a large baking dish with foil. Spray the foil or spread a thin layer of canola oil onto the foil. Spread the mixture out in a single layer out onto the foil. Spritz the top of the tofu with a little more oil, or omit if you're unable to spray your canola oil. Cook for 35 minutes. Allow to rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.

For the Tofu mix:

2 blocks extra-firm tofu (24 oz. total)

3/4 tsp turmeric

1.5 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp ground cloves

3/4 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp curry powder

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsp lemon juice

3/4 cup vegan yogurt (I like coconut yogurt)

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

3 tbsp olive oil

I large red or yellow onion, diced

Yellow Rice:

3 tablespoons Earth Balance

1 teaspoon turmeric

3 cups jasmine or Basmati rice

5 cups no-chicken broth

Put into a rice cooker and cook until done. Or, cook over medium heat until cooked through a fluffy.

White Magic Sauce:

10 oz. vegan yogurt (I like coconut yogurt)

1/2 c. Vegenaise

1 Tbsp. salt

1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

1.5 Tbsp. lemon juice (½ lemon)

1 Tbsp. olive oil

3 garlic cloves

1/2 tsp parsley (dry or fresh)

1 tbsp cold water

Place all in a blender or magic bullet and puree until smooth and blended.

To serve, put about a cup of rice, about a half a cup of tofu, and a small salad consisting of lettuce and tomato onto a dish. Drizzle the white sauce liberally over the whole dish. Don't be shy, this stuff is the bomb. Let me know what you think of this dish, and I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!!!

awesome tofu recipe!! I made this for dinner last night and served it over kale with a lemon-tahini sauce. Definitely a keeper - thanks for the recipe :)

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Author

Hi, I'm Apryl, a sassy artist-type who also happens to be the mommy in this 3-piece (soon to be 4-piece) band. My husband, Sean, and I are both foodies with food & beverage backgrounds.I love experimenting in the kitchen and using my husband and 6 year old daughter, Anabella, as the testers. I also love feedback, and I hope you enjoy the recipes I post as much as we enjoyed them.